Off Season Golf Training

The fairways are a blanket of snow. Pin placements are a distant memory. What can you do in the off-season to get ready for your April tee-off? Being the final issue of chiropractic corner for the 2012 season, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss off-season training. Many recreational golfers often trade in the clubs for their hockey gear at the end of the golf season. However, choosing not to work on your golf fitness in the off-season may prove to be costly to your health and your game. Like in any other sport, athletes will spend their off season (winter for golfers) strengthening the specific muscles used in the mechanics of their sport…why wouldn’t you? The golf swing relies upon core strength, endurance and proper engagement requiring elements of stabilization, control and coordination. Therefore, it is important to address all of these factors during your off-season preparation. Core conditioning should be an integral part of any off-season training regimen. Performance of ballistic high acceleration movements, such as the golf swing, places great demand on core musculature activation and stabilization. As discussed in previous issues, core weakness is a major source of ‘energy leaks’ in the golf swing reducing power and distance as well as a major source for the onset of repetitive strain injuries and low back pain. As you begin to develop a regular off season golf exercise regimen, it is important to concentrate on functional exercises specific to golf. Functional exercises mimic the actual demands of the golf swing combining movements designed to strengthen as well as improve the neuromuscular function of muscles used during the golf swing. Four important components of functional training for golf include flexibility, core development, balance, and strength and power. Integrating all of these components in your training will develop your skills in each of these areas and prepare you for the upcoming season. For the purpose of this article I will illustrate examples of exercises useful for development of core strength as well as a pair of functional exercises that will help develop strength and power in your golf swing. Before engaging in any of the following exercises you must activate a functional abdominal brace. This brace will stabilize your spine allowing you to perform efficient motion while limiting excessive spinal stress and unwanted accessory movements. An easy way to properly activate the abdominal brace is to ‘bear down’ as if someone were going to punch you in the belly. You only need about 20-30% of that contraction for an effective abdominal brace. For each exercise, work up to 3 sets of 8-15 repetitions. Core Development exercises:
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1. Curl-up Lie on your back on the floor with your left leg straight and flat on the floor. Your right knee should be bent and your right foot flat. Place your hands palms down on the floor underneath the natural arch in your lower back. (Don’t flatten your back.)

Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor without bending your lower back or spine, and hold this position for 1 to 2 seconds and return to the starting position.

2. Side Plank Lying on your left side, get up on your left forearm/elbow. Make sure your arm is directly under your shoulder. With your top foot in front of the bottom foot, slowly lift your hip off the floor until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.

Repeat on your right side. Work up to holding the plank for 3 sets of 30 seconds. 3. Bird-Dog Get on your hands and knees (hands directly below your shoulders, knees directly below your hips). Keep your back straight.

Slowly extend your right leg backwards, and your left arm forward.

Hold for 5 seconds and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Be sure not to rotate your pelvis or lift your arm and leg too high resulting in excessive unwanted low back extension. Golf-specific Exercises: Full Swing Drill with tubing Secure tubing just above shoulder height in a closed door and position yourself far enough away from the door until there is tension in the tubing. Stand in a golf address position with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart with your hands positioned towards the top of the backswing at shoulder height.

Maintain tension in the tubing and slowly initiate the downswing by engaging your core musculature and continue the motion until your hands reach past the point of impact (3-4 second count).

Maintain tension in the tubing and slowly return your hands to the top of the backswing (3-4 second count). Lunge with a twist Assume a standing position with your arms straight out in front of you, holding an iron parallel to the floor at shoulder height.

As you step forward with one leg, rotate your upper body to that same side, holding the iron at shoulder height throughout the entire motion.

Return to starting position and do the opposite leg. If you are consistent with these exercises while adding other exercises for strength, balance, and flexibility, you will see improvement in your golf swing speed, power and distance in a very short period of time as well as significantly reduce your chance of injury. You should contact your healthcare before starting any new exercises regime.
by Dr. Warren Hefford